Ordinary Day
by Tigerzgal279
Summary: Puck thought his life was over after babygate blew up, but when Gabriella Montez moves to Lima will she save him from the blackness that has become his miserable life? Can he breakdown her defenses or will he once again be a victim of unrequited love?
1. Moving Again

Ordinary Day

Chapter 1: Moving Again

"WHAT!"

"Mija, I'm sorry, I-"

"No, mama, you promised me, you said we wouldn't be moving again!"

"Gabi, you think I want this, we have a good life here, I don't want to leave it, but if I want to keep my job then we have to go, Lo siento."

Gabriella Montez was not happy. Her mother had come home from work late looking guilty and upset explaining about the ultimatum that had been handed to her.

Thomson and Sons was the biggest law firm in the country and they were opening a new branch in Ohio. Theresa Montez was being offered the position of Regional manager at said new branch. So they had to move to Ohio. Lima Ohio to be exact. Theresa was a good and honest woman she had promised her daughter they would not be moving until she graduated from high school, it was a promise she had intended to keep, but when she was told that she either accepted this new job or kissed her other one goodbye she knew she had no choice. So she said yes packed up her office and headed home to face the savage beast that would emerge from her otherwise relatively passive daughter's body.

Gabriella looked at her mother's face, full of pity and regret, normally this look would have the younger Montez girl running into her mother's embrace, whispering words of comfort, like she did every year on the anniversary of her father's death, but tonight it wasn't working. Unable to feel anything but complete and utter rage, she turned, grabbed her keys and all but ran to the Bolton's.

She was moving. Again. When she was younger, moving was a part of Gabriella's life. It was always a new school, new teachers, new house. Not friends though, Gabriella was pragmatic enough to know that there was absolutely no point in even attempting to try and make friends because she would be leaving so soon. But Albuquerque was different. She was going to be staying. So she let herself go. She opened up to people and let in friends like Taylor and Chad, Kelsi, Martha, Ryan, Zeke, even Jason (sometimes she think that Sharpay counts but the girl is a yo-yo and is almost always leaving those who depend upon her high and dry).

She did up her room the way she had been planning since she was nine and the promise of an eventual permanent residence was first made to her, she had enrolled in ballet and tap classes (her unfulfilled ambition was to be able to perform the routine by Gene Kelly and Cid Charice in Singin' in the Rain), and sure she could do the same thing in Lima, but she loved her teacher and Ryan was the greatest dance partner anyone could ever ask for. Things were good in Albuquerque, and now her mother wanted her to leave the life they had built there, she wanted her to leave _him_.

Troy Bolton was the perfect boyfriend. He was handsome, sweet, caring, smart, funny and (most importantly) doted on her. She knew she didn't love him, but she was pretty goddamn close, getting closer everyday. But now, they were going to be in opposite parts of the country. She really couldn't do the whole long-distance thing. No, she knew what she was going to do.

"Gabriella, sweetie, what are you doing here so late?" Lucille Bolton said as she opened the door to the dishevelled Latina on the porch.

"Hi Mrs B, is Troy home, I really need to speak to him."

Mrs Bolton nodded and stepped to the side allowing the young brunette into the house before calling for her son. He ambled down the stairs, looking as handsome as ever, a bright, happy smile lighting up his face at the sight of their visitor. The sight of him and his obvious joy at seeing her, left a crack in Gabriella's heart, how could her mother expect her to leave him?

When Troy enveloped her in a hug; Gabriella could feel that crack turning into a break as she bit back the hot tears that had invaded her eyes.

"We need to talk."

She had been sitting on his bed for 15 minutes now, having not said a word, unable to figure out how to tell him the news. Troy sat beside her, anxiety seeping into his bones as to what this 'talk' was going to consist of, the fact that Gabriella had yet to do any talking was not helping to remove his fear.

"Gabi, what is going on?" He asked, almost nervous to hear the answer.

Gabriella turned to her boyfriend, opening and closing her mouth, trying to formulate the angry and incoherent thoughts flashing behind her eyes into words that he would understand, hoping to whatever god that may be out there that what she had to say would no be too hard for the wonderful boy in front of her to hear.

He watched as she just sat there. She opened her mouth gingerly letting the words fall from he suddenly very dry mouth.

"We start school in a week, senior year, my senior year, its not fair she promised me, she promised me," Gabriella got up from the bed and started walking around the room, speed increasing with every stride of her short, yet perfectly shaped legs, arms flailing, her dialect changing from English to Spanish as her mood became more frantic.

"Hey, hey, hey, Gabs, English baby, please, okay, calm down and explain slowly and in a language I understand." Troy said steadying his pacing girlfriend. Her habit of talking to herself in Spanish was most times, endearing, but he was already nervous enough, he didn't need her fainting from lack of oxygen because she forgot to draw breath.

Troy sat her down on the bed, taking her head in his hands, "Tell me", his azure eyes searching her face.

Gabriella took a deep breath, her eyes locking on her hands as they sat boneless in her lap.

"We're moving again, to Ohio, Lima Ohio"

"But, I thought, she said that you would-

"She did, she lied. Ella estuvo a mí" Gabriella whispered, tears once again clouding her eyes. "We're leaving tomorrow, so I just came to say goodbye"

Her eyes locked with his, finishing her sentence with two words she couldn't say, the two words he didn't want to hear. _For good_.

Troy shook his head, "it doesn't have to be goodbye Gabriella, we can make it work, we co-

"No Troy, it has to be, I can't do that to myself I know that sounds really selfish, but I don't think I can be with you, if I can't be with you, it will hurt to much. Its best if we just cut all ties with one another, move on. We've had some amazing times together, and trust me when I say I don't want to do this, but I'm leaving again and I think…"

She trailed off as the tears that had threatened to fall earlier caught the words on her tongue, looking down at her lap, in a vain attempt to hide her tears, she uttered, her voice only a whisper,

"I think I've run out of goodbyes."

"Gabi, what are you talking about? We could do this Gabs, we have email and web-cam, Gabi, I love you and I want to make this work, make us work."

Gabriella felt her breath hitch in her throat as he uttered those words. They had never said them to each other before, and she knew if she had felt the same way, she would be trying harder to keep this relationship afloat. Troy didn't deserve what she was doing to him, but this was something she knew she had to do, for herself and her peace of mind.

"I can't Troy, I have to go"

She was out the door before he could even blink. Troy turned to his bed and only when he say a silver chain with a 'T' on it did he let the tears fall.

The walk back to her house seemed much longer than Gabriella remembered.

When Gabriella arrived back home all her things were packed. Her mother had long ago mastered the art of speed packing, normally it was useful, but now it only served to feed the deep-rooted depression that was eating away at her bones. She was leaving, and she really didn't want to go.


	2. Liquid Hazel

Gabriella sighed as she pulled up out the front of William McKinley High School. It was her first day, her first day of her senior year in a school where she knew no one.

_Oh joy._

Finding a parking space she gingerly got out of the car fully aware that all eyes were on her. It was always the worst part of starting at a new school, the staring, eyes of her peers following her every move determined to know everything about the new girl. It often died after the first week and even though Gabriella had been to eight different schools it still made her nervous. She could hear their whispers, asking each other if they knew about a new girl, trying to decipher who she was or where she came from. Moving swiftly through the throngs of students who were still staring at her, Gabriella held her head high and walked into Principal Figgins office to collect her information.

"Ah you must be Gabriella!" Principal Figgins greeted as she walked into his office, a smile evident in his heavily accented voice as he watched the raven-haired girl take a seat in front of his desk.

"Yes sir, that would be me."

"So, Gabriella Montez, yes, okay, scholastic decathalon team, I see you've applied to Stanford University already, are you in the running for their honors program?" He asked looking over her transcripts.

"Yes sir I am. I plan to study law." Gabriella explained, feeling increasingly nervous and anxious to get out of the cramped office.

"Well, with your grades and test scores I don't think you will have a problem getting in, welcome to McKinley High Miss Montez." He said handing over her class schedule and locker assignment.

Gabriella gave a nod of thanks before standing up cautiously and walking out the door, where she was met by an overly eager brunette, with knee socks and a determined look on her face.

"Hello, I'm Rachel Berry, you're Gabriella Montez correct?"

"Yes, I am, I'm guessing you're going to be showing me around?"

Rachel beamed, "Yes, Principal Figgins did ask me to be your chaperone for the day, and I will be quite happy to assist you with anything questions you need answering or otherwise, anyway, shall we begin?"

All Gabriella could do was nod as the girl latched on to her arm pulling her down the hall.

Rachel was unlike any tour guide she had ever had before in her life. She talked a mile a minute and had an extensive vocabulary which she knew must have left people with lower a IQ than herself confused more than half the time and she was funny. She didn't know what it was about this girl, but five minutes into the tour a Gabriella knew she had made a friend for life, they were sharing their dreams and aspirations and found they had a lot in common, a love of performing and music, a weak spot for Gerard Butler and a need to make their final year of high school matter.

"So, Gabi where did you move here from?" Rachel asked as they walked down the corridor leading toward the gym.

"Albuquerque and before that San Diego what about you, have you lived here you're whole life?"

"Unfortunately the answer to that question is yes, I won't be here forever though, the plan is New York, Julliard or NYU, I think, but most definitely Broadway, that's my biggest dream you know, to play Elphaba in Wicked."

Gabriella smiled, she knew that people would often mistake Rachel's passion and drive for an unnecessary amount of ambition (much like Sharpay), but she could tell that the girl standing in front of her simply just knew who she was.

"Elphaba really?"

'Yes, or Maria in West Side Story"

"For me it was always Mimi."

At this Rachel looked over at her "in Rent?"

Gabriella shot her new friend a sheepish smile, "Yeah, I always loved the message. No Day But Today. There's something almost spiritual about it, living each day to its fullest. It's magical. I cried when I heard it was closing this year."

"I know exactly how you feel", Rachel said a smile lighting up her tanned face, "I remember thinking 'No not this show this was the show that was supposed to run forever it can't close', I'll tell you what, you'll go to Stanford and I'll go to New York and then we will star in the revival of Rent together as Mimi and Maureen respectively." The giddy grin on her face caused a giggle to erupt from the Latina.

"Yeah, sure Rach lets see about finishing high school first."

"Okay, but you're coming to Glee this afternoon." The look that Rachel fixed her with at this was so scary that Gabriella legitimately feared for life.

"If I must."

Before she even had time to blink Gabriella was sitting in the Glee room with Rachel watching as other students came piling in.

The first people through the door introduced themselves as Kurt and Mercedes. Gabriella instantly liked them. They had sass and welcomed the Latina with open arms.

Kurt adored her make up ("god, you are gorgeous!" he had told her, "Simply divine!")

Mercedes also greeted her with appraisal, her eyes lingering on the cream suede ankle boots on her feet and both complimented her on the butterfly barrette in her hair.

There was Artie and Tina who were both so impossibly sweet, she thought they might give her a toothache. Next came Matt and Mike, who seemed to know exactly what to say to make the entire room explode into fits of uncontrollable laughter.

Santana was thrilled to have another Latina in the room ("power to our people baby") and Brittany was just happy to welcome a new friend. Finn was all smiles as her ambled over to Santana, giving her a light kiss before joining his fellow football players at the back of the room.

Rachel had told Gabriella all about Finn and Babygate. That was another reason why Rachel was so desperate to have Gabi in the Glee club, they needed twelve members. Quinn had left at the end of last year taking her one year old daughter Leah Fabray-Puckerman with her to Chicago to live with her sister and family.

Finn had been sad to see her go, she was his first love after all, but according to Rachel he was recovering and managing to get on with his life. The same apparently could not be said for Leah's father. Noah Puckerman had been completely ostracized from his daughter's life, denied the only thing he wanted, the chance to be a father. Rachel had seen him at times over the summer and he hadn't been doing so well. They had dated briefly in sophomore year, and after Rachel blew Babygate wide open had actually become the best of friends.

It was what one would call an unlikely friendship. He was the school bully, she was his former target, and apart from a significant level of musical ability and their shared Jewish heritage they had next to nothing in common. But, he was (as Rachel explained to Gabriella in extensive and drawn out detail), her biggest confidant, her protector and the only person on earth that she would trust with her life.

It was he, who had apparently, opened Rachel's eyes to the truth that, while he was a good friend and singing partner, Finn was not the right boy for her.

("He tells me the truth all the time, even when I don't want to hear it, he doesn't lie to appease me and my insecurities. Noah could see that my 'maybe-maybe not' relationship with Finn was suffocating me, so he told me what I needed to hear: _Get. Out_")

He had been at school (although admittedly not to class) today and had promised Rachel that he would come to Glee. As Gabriella looked around she noted that he was the only one yet to arrive.

Suddenly Rachel was up, out of her seat and running across the room. Gabriella looked over only to feel her breath catch in her throat. She didn't know what she expected Noah Puckerman to look like but it most definitely wasn't what she got.

She watched as his nearly six-foot frame swaggered (it was the perfect word she decided) over to the seat his best friend has just vacated. He was without a doubt gorgeous and she could not take her eyes off of him. Rachel huffed and walked over pulling up a chair on the other side of Gabriella.

"Noah, this is Gabi, she just moved here from Albuquerque." She said introducing them.

At the sound of Rachel's voice Noah's eyes shifted to look at her and as deep sienna brown met liquid hazel she felt her head go fuzzy.

"Hi." She said holding out her hand for him to shake, "it's nice to meet you."

He smirked at her, "you too."

Gabriella didn't know how long she and Noah just sat there and looked at each other, as hard as she tried she just couldn't tear her eyes away from his. They were beautiful. She had thought that Troy's eyes were amazing but Noah's were hypnotizing. It wasn't just the color of them either, no, his eyes were laced with sadness, they were haunted by what she could only assume was the intense pain of having his daughter ripped from his life.

Just then the door banged open and Mr. Schuester walked in.

"Okay guys, welcome back! Senior year, wow, okay so this year we're going to – I'm sorry who are you?" He asked, his eyes landing on Gabriella.

"This is Gabriella Montez, Mr. Schue she just moved here from Albuquerque." Rachel explained, grinning at her friend who offered a shy smile in return.

"Okay, well Gabriella welcome, how much experience do you have?"

"Um, well I sang with my church choir when I lived in San Diego and I was the lead in the Winter Musical last year, um I play a little bit of the piano as well." She explained, noting that she was so anxious she was on her way to having a panic attack.

"Okay great, do you want to sing for us maybe so that we can get a feel for your voice and how you're going to blend with everyone here?" Mr. Schue asked, his eyes kind and patient.

Gabriella nodded, getting up and walking over to the piano very aware of the pair of hazel eyes that had not shifted from her.

"Um, okay my friend Kelsi wrote this song with my voice in mind, so um, yeah, I hope you like it."

Placing her fingers delicately on the keys, Gabriella willed herself to breathe, before closing her eyes and letting the words slip from her lips.

_Sometimes I feel like I'm a bird with broken wings  
At times I dread my now and envy where I've been  
But that's when quiet wisdom takes control  
At least I've got a story no one's told  
_  
Gabriella smiled, letting the comfort of the familiar words and tune wash over her. She always felt serene when she was singing, and this song sat so perfectly with her voice that not even the beautiful boy with his perfect jaw line and dark and mysterious eyes could distract her from her performance.

As she continued with song, Gabriella failed to notice the happy and appraising looks her new classmates shared amongst themselves at the sound of her voice. If she had focused her attention for even a second, upon her adoring audience, she would have seen twelve people smiling at her and one (the one with eyes of amber) who was staring in her direction with a look that could only be described as mesmeration.

Coming back into herself as the song came to a close, Gabriella looked up and noticed everyone staring at her. Her eyes locked with Rachel's who grinned and mouthed 'Rent Revival here we come', and Gabriella couldn't help but crack a smile. She could feel Noah's unwavering gaze and it was making her feel lightheaded, turning her eyes landed on Mr. Schue, who smiled and said:

"Welcome to New Directions Miss Montez."


End file.
